Just four days before the Nov. 2, ‘04 U.S. Presidential election, Arab television station Al-Jazeera aired a videotape in which al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden told Americans they could avoid another World Trade Center like attack if the United States changed its foreign policy. Support of Israel was specifically noted. In addition, Bin Laden told the American people that their "safety and security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush."
Both President George Bush and Presidential hopeful John Kerry responded to the tape with the promise they would not be intimidated and will continue the war on terrorism.
The greatest recognized asset of any intelligence agency to uncover and thwart terrorists is the ability to identify and track their whereabouts. Just as Jesus prophesied in Luke 21:25 concerning the close of the age, the nations of the earth are experiencing distress and perplexity.
Besides Jesus' warning of ecological disasters the reality of terrorism in a world that has vast amounts of unaccounted for weapons of mass destruction stirs up distress and perplexity unlike anything ever experienced before in history. Distress at the unimaginable destructive forces that can be unleashed anywhere at anytime and perplexity as to how to deal with the ever growing threat.
The one answer which is relentlessly being pursued at an almost frantic pace is a foolproof system of identification which will in turn establish control over every person's ability to buy and sell. Once identity and economic control is established, everything from illegal weapons to travel will be restricted to arrangements made between those who are isolated. With revenue and supplies withheld by the world body as a whole, weeding out committed ostracized terrorist entities will only be a matter of time.
In our previous two messages from this three part series titled, "Mark or Implant," I have shared the known advancements made in the identification areas of bio-chip implants and laser markings and have expressed that my personal opinion favors that the laser marking of flesh will become the Anti-Christ's first choice for marking people during the Tribulation Period.
With this in mind I would like to share an updated message originally from the 1980s which was titled, "Meet your Marker:"
There are prophetic Scriptures in the Bible which contain what we might appropriately call "the last word." These are the prophecies which tell of the day when those who rejected God's Son Jesus Christ will stand before the awesome judgment throne of the Father of Eternity and will hear the Lord's voice for the last time. It is then that He will say, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."
Among these heartbreaking final words there is a Scripture which reveals that besides rejecting Jesus Christ, there is one particular physical sin that a person can do during the Tribulation Period which will prevent them from receiving the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and guarantees them a place in the Eternal Lake of Fire.
This prophecy which may appear to some to contrast the consistent teaching of immeasurable forgiveness taught throughout the Bible can be found in Revelation 14:9-11. We quote, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
In the original Greek this word "mark" means an etching, a literal brand or tattoo of some kind. Revelation 13:16-18 further reveals to us that this mark will be instituted by a soon to appear global dictator and his cohort, the "false prophet," who presides over a world religion. This etching will be linked up to an oppressive global economic system that will prevent all financial transactions by people who do not have this mark.
Events that transpired in the 1990s verified that the dreaded mark of the beast would soon be available for the Tribulation Period. Marking domestic animals with an etched computer implant the size of a piece of rice had become a common and acceptable means of instant, positive identification in many parts of the world. Spain had taken an even bolder step by becoming the first country in the world to make the animal implants mandatory by national law.
Meanwhile according to the July 5, ‘97 edition of the Kingsport Leave Chronicle in an article titled, "Eastman Chemical Researcher develops invisible barcode" it was stated that the new discovery will allow merchants to put the barcode right on the front of packages, "as big as [they] want it and nobody will see it. Only the scanner will know for sure."
Ongoing threats of a global recession or depression, biometric implants, and the pursuit of invisible computer laser scanning marks reveals without question that this is the time that was prophesied for the end of the age in Revelation Chapter 13.
According to the late Barry Smith of New Zealand, the equipment which may be used to brand the earth's population may have already been identified during a demonstration at a 1985 Security Conference held in Sydney, Australia.
The exhibit which was monitored by an armed guard, reportedly had a laser scanner machine pointed at the forehead of a female mannequin. At the hairline of the forehead there could be seen a series of dots in the form of a rectangle. There was another rectangle of dots seen on the mannequin's right hand just above the wrist bone. A sign behind the mannequin had a list of adjectives such as "secure, safe and irrevocable." The specialized equipment had been identified as being manufactured by Bell and Howell, Model LF 7000. It was classified as "computer identex Model FCP2." It's functions were described as a "laser painter, reader, marker and scanner." Additional information from Barry Smith Family Evangelism (if still available) can be obtained by calling or faxing (505) 527-4161.
Concern that Australia is likely to become one of the leading countries in which the world government will introduce "the mark" followed quickly in the same year that the Security Council meeting took place in Sydney; this item appeared in the July 30, ‘85 edition of the Sydney Morning Herald, in an article which headlined, "Don't leave home without it." We quote, "In the quest for the ultimate means of identification there is talk of branding everyone with a number. Such an action would surely cause an uproar. But as card fraud increases, customers get tired of paying for it in increased costs. It is seen as the only possible solution."
In closing we must emphasize in the strongest way possible to those who will have missed the Rapture and will be alive on the earth during the Tribulation Period, no matter how dramatic or sensational this next statement may sound right now, within a relatively short matter of time it will become a reality which will involve an eternal decision for vast numbers of people, you or someone you love could be one of them..."Don't take the mark of the Beast!"
Trust in your Creator's perfect care by believing in the Living Lord Jesus Christ for His total and absolute forgiveness.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s the research being done in the area of permanent identification was being presented by government and financial institutions mainly for economic reasons and progressed steadily but hesitantly due to lack of shared need and acceptance by the general population. Attitudes were forever changed in the twenty-first century with the orchestrated attacks on America during nine-eleven and will continue to grow in favor of people being marked as the prophesied dreadful world of tomorrow on planet earth grows ever more menacing.
In part II of this message we shared how laser identification engravings can be applied to an area the size of a grain of sand. In this week's message we reminded people how since 1997, UPC marks can be made entirely invisible to the naked eye.
We are living at the close of the age before the return of Jesus Christ. Today is the day to receive Christ as your Savior and have your sins forgiven by His atoning blood. Trust in your Creator's perfect care.